


Avenging Angel

by Cuppatea13



Series: The Stories of Arlie [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avenging, Brotherly Love, Gen, Interlude, but not actually described, so not sure what to rate, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-16
Updated: 2015-02-16
Packaged: 2018-03-13 07:42:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3373364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cuppatea13/pseuds/Cuppatea13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another interlude in my own personal Marvel Universe- how does Clint deal with learning about Arlie's past? (Main story is: Reliant, this is an interlude.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Avenging Angel

**Author's Note:**

> First: I want to take a moment to appreciate the title of this interlude. It was only partially intended- the stars just kinda aligned. This particular interlude was inspired by a review from roserain1998, who asked if Clint would ever find out about Richard. Well, perhaps I wasn't clear enough- but Arlie did talk about a lot of her past with Clint in that pasta-filled reunion, and originally I intended for that to include Richard (You will recall: Phil's file had record of Arlie's restraining order so Clint knows something went down), but then I got to thinking and realized, this conversation (and subsequent reaction) deserved its own moment, and thus an interlude was born.
> 
> Now I want to be clear here: I do not necessarily approve of Clint's reaction to his sister's confession. Nor do I condone violence with the exception of self-defense. That being said, I have taken a slug at a guy for making some verbal comments (that really should not ever be said let alone typed out) to a friend of mine. So I can understand the motivation, but I'm not saying I necessarily approve. That is why this chapter is written in a different style. Also, I just think this particular course of action is most accurate to Clint's character.
> 
> Ok- that disclaimer out of the way, let's get to the interlude.

**May 6th, 2005 (Clint)**

"Well, Phil called in some favors to get your information since we couldn't use SHIELD. He managed to make a file on you."

"Wait- a  _file_?"

"Well- it is kinda how he does things. When he first met me he made a file on me. It's how he makes friends," Clint teased with a smirk.

"What was in the file?"

"Records from school, work, your address and phone number, some articles written about you or ones where you were mentioned. Also, some police records."

"Police?"

"Yeah." Clint paused and wondered if this was something his sister would be willing to share with him. He didn't want to push her away after all of this, but he  _had_  to know.

"It was just a restraining order you had filed against this guy. Richard Durnin?"

There is silence for a few moments. Clint's heart is pounding and he's terrified.  _Oh god do not be angry with me please don't kick me out please be fine with this please you don't have to tell me right now please please please_.

"Yeah…you remembered how I mentioned being in a bad spot a couple of years ago?"

Clint says nothing, trying to neither encourage nor discourage this conversation, letting Arlie take it at her own pace.

"Rich was kind of…the spot."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No- it's not that it's just- I'm a bit…ashamed is the word, I guess. It's not something I'm proud of letting happen and I realize it's not my fault but it does kind of feel like it is because I let it go on for so long and I just-"

I cut her off. "Arlie- Arlie, listen to me. Now I don't know what happened, I don't know what you're talking about, but I do know you. And you are one of the best people I know. Whatever happened, whatever you feel you did or didn't do, you should not feel ashamed. Ok- look who you're talking to. Look at everything I've done! Are you really saying that whatever you're talking about can in any way compare to all of the horrible things I've done? Listen to me- if I could pick  _one person_  to be in charge of my life. To be in charge of keeping my conscious clear and my existence safe- it would be you. You're my little sister and nothing you could say to me would ever make me think any less of you."

"He hit me."

Clint sucks in a breath.

"A lot."

Arlie takes a deep breath and then continues, "It started around when I first turned twenty one and at first I just thought it was no big deal- I mean, sometimes when you get angry you just want to hit something. I've done it- can't tell you how many times I've punched a wall or my pillow and I thought it was just accidental. He didn't want to hurt  _me_ , I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was angry. And, I don't know when or how it happened, but it suddenly just wasn't accidental anymore and I knew it wasn't something I should let happen but I just let him walk  _all over me_  and I didn't stop him. I barely put up a fight. Actually- I didn't put up a fight at all. I just- it was for  _years_  and I knew I shouldn't let him do that to me but I thought – I mean, I had let it happen and perhaps I kind of deserved it since-" Clint finally managed to cut her off. He reached forward and grabbed his sister and pulled her close into a huge hug and spoke.

"That was not your fault. And I realize that just saying the words to you isn't enough. I realize that you're going to continue to blame yourself and you want to believe what I'm telling you but you don't dare to. Well- I will tell you this every day and I will show you a thousand times over in every way I know how:  _it was not your fault_."

She nodded and rested her head on her brother's shoulder and let a few tears escape.

"I should kill the son of a bitch for hurting you."

"Don't bother- I got in one good hit when I left him and filed the restraining order and alerted the police and everything. He's on record and that's enough."

"Ok."  _That really is not enough_.

* * *

**May 7th, 2005**

It's in the wee small hours of the morning. Two am, three, Clint's not precisely sure. But there is a man stumbling out of a bar and he matches the photo Clint stole from his sister's place of Richard Durnin. He's confidant she won't miss the picture- it was in a box of stuff she hadn't bothered to sort through after moving. She says when she's completely calm and free of any self-recrimination she'll go through it. She won't miss one photo.

Richard Durnin, known as Rich to his friends, is not completely sloshed but very very close.

Clint finds himself regretting it a bit- he wanted to meet this man on equal footing.

Then again, Richard Durnin never treated Arlie on equal ground.

"Richard Durnin?" Clint says, melting out of the alleyway like a detective in a B grade film. Maybe one of those Noir films, he thinks. Durnin's drunk, though, so it's suitably intimidating.

"Listen man- I don't have any money on me so you should find some one else to fleece."

"Are you Richard Durnin?"

The drunk man blinks slowly a few times and staggers a bit before answering, "Who wants to know?"

_That's a yes then._

Now what line to use next? Clint briefly considers using Phil's opening of "I want to talk to you about conviction," but dismisses that. He doesn't want to give Richard Durnin a second chance- he wants to be an avenging angel.

So perhaps a modification on a classic.

"I want to talk to you about my sister."

Richard Durnin won't be able to walk for a few weeks and his face will never quite look the same, but Clint feels just a tiny bit better.

He makes a mental note to  _never_  let Arlie know about this.


End file.
